Page 24 of Her Inconvenient Wedding Date

“Hmm. You could say you have a project to finish, and you won’t be free until January.”

“That’s not too far from the truth.” My stomach twists with disappointment. Those brownies sound like a good consolation prize. “Why don’t you unpack and get settled? I’ll let you know when dessert’s ready.”

I spend the next forty-five minutes baking and cooking until the smell of chocolate and Italian spices permeate every corner of the kitchen. By the time I pull the brownies out of the oven and take the cast iron pan of seafood pasta off the stove, my shirt is untucked, and my sleeves are rolled up. I’ve probably got flour on my face, too, but I’m in too much of a rush to care. I plate the food, then bring everything, along with the utensils and drinks, to the dining table. The spread looks so good, I give myself a little pat on the back. Lily’s my first—and most important—guest in this home, so I want to be sure everything is top-notch for her.

“Wow,” she suddenly pipes up behind me. “Don’t tell me you made the pasta from scratch?”

I turn around to find Lily looking comfortable in black leggings and a sweatshirt. Her smile tells me she’s impressed with the meal I put together, which fills me with relief. “Hey, you’re just in time. Have a seat. And no, I didn’t make the pasta from scratch this time since I was making brownies, too. I hope you don’t mind.”

She laughs as she sits down. “I would never complain about someone cooking for me. Thank you for all of this. It looks and smells delicious.”

I take off my apron and hang it on the back of my chair before sitting across from her. Extending my hand, I offer to say grace. She takes a beat to respond, but when she does, her palm fits securely against mine. For a moment, I pretend we’re husband and wife in more than name only as I close my eyes. I pray for as long as possible, thanking God for everything about this day and, truth be told, so I can hold Lily’s hand a little longer. When I finally open my eyes, I’m surprised to see her studying me. There’s a glint in her deep brown eyes that makes me swallow hard.

“You look like you either have a brilliant plan or a scary one,” I say as I push the plate of brownies toward her. “Which is it?”

“Brilliant, of course. Oh! This is brilliant, too!” She points to the brownie that she took a bite out of and practically cradles it against her chest. “The pumpkin flavor cuts the bitterness of the cocoa just enough.”

“I’m glad you like it.” A smile appears easily on my face. Watching Lily enjoy the brownie is like the perfect sugar high for me—all the sweetness without the inevitable crash. “We should make eating dessert first a habit in our marriage.”

Her eyes widen. “That sounds pretty official. But I suppose we could since this is all temporary anyways.”

Ouch, right. It looks like I will be crashing after all.

“Back to my brilliant plan,” she continues. “I’ve decided to do something for you in return for everything you’re doing for me. I’m going to help you find a girlfriend.”

I almost spit out the brownie bits in my mouth. “You’re going to do what?”

“Help you meet women, so you can meetthewoman of your dreams.”

I was right to be worried about that glint in her eyes. “I don’t need help meeting women, Lil. I don’t say that to brag or anything, but that’s not a concern of mine.”

“That’s true.” Her expression turns thoughtful. “So, you don’t need help meeting women, but maybe you could use some practice talking to them?”

“That’s not really an issue either.” I spear a shrimp with my fork and start digging into my pasta. “I have two sisters I talk to on a regular basis.”

“That’s different. I’m talking about practicing what you would do if you were on a date with a woman who’snotyour family. And what better person to practice with than me—a woman?”

I pause mid-chew and digest Lily’s words. The idea she’s throwing out is better than anything I could have come up with. What better way to romance my wife than to date her?God, You’re a genius!Not that the Lord didn’t know that already, but I’m continually blown away by how He works everything together for good for His children.

Keeping my tone nonchalant, I ask Lily, “What you’re suggesting is that we role play going on dates together?”

She nods. “Practice makes perfect, right? What do you say?”

“I say let’s start tonight. I’ll pick you up at six.”

Now it’s time to plan the most romantic date ever.

CHAPTER 13

Lily

“Our love is like Wi-Fi.Sometimes there are connection issues, but mostly it’s just magic.” ~Unknown

I don’t know why I’m so nervous. It’s less than an hour before Hunter’s and my date, and I’ve had to reapply my antiperspirant twice since I got dressed. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m wearing a sweater dress—with a cute cowl neck, I might add—or that I care about how this evening’s going to go. Hmm. It’s got to be the former, right?

I can almost picture God rolling His eyes. He’s the only one I’m willing to admit my foolishness to because He already knows everything anyway. I got myself into this mess, and I may have made it worse by suggesting to Hunter that we practice dating. The truth is, I do want to help him find a real wife, but I also don’t mind being his inconvenient one for the time being.

And boy, is this a marriage of inconvenience because I am oh-so-inconveniently falling for a man who is not really mine.

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